Diet Coke and other artificially sweetened things...

So I've read in several places that Diet sodas and other artificial sweeteners can inhibit weight loss and even cause weight gain. I've been considering cutting it out but I'm on the fence on this topic.

One part of me agrees that perhaps drinking something sweet w/o the sugar can cause you to crave sweets, thus hurting your diet. The flip side is that after 27 years of diabetes - my body knows that I'm not getting any calories with Diet Coke - so the impact to my liver, cravings, etc should me minimal.

Another part of me feels like I've been (insert expletive here) badly enough by having type 1 diabetes - that why should I give up on something that tastes really good and doesn't affect my sugar levels?

Personally I have never been a fan of soda. Either diet or regular I could do without for the rest of my life. However, when I want one I love the Kroger Big-K brand of ginger ale. I get a 12 pack and enjoy them until they are gone and then don't want any more for a long time. My husband drinks decaffinated iced tea that I make here at home with a little Splenda in it. We also drink decaf coffee in the morning with Splenda. Even when I was a kid and everyone else was drinking cola like crazy if I drank soda it was "not brown pop"…lol

I drank some diet Pepsi a week ago, after not having any for about a month and a half, and boy did it do a number on my stomach. It could have been the fact that I had 2 cans in a row, but I think my body had gotten used to not having the chemicals in my system and rejected them big time.

I only had a problem with a more than 2 8 oz cans of soda sweetened with Splenda (gave me the runs) But my Jem had stomach problems with anything which was artifically sweetened, buy her solution was to drink the real coke and other HFCS sweetened sodas. I tried getting her off of those but she was one determined lady. (and I was in "new love" with her — didn't want to push her too hard)

Aaron, once in a while about every two weeks I go get my fix at sonic a large diet cherry coke with lots of ice, love the ice at sonic drive in. I will even eat the maraschino cherry they put in it. This is a treat for me and I so do enjoy it. I always drank diet sodas prior to my diagnosis, I am very cautious not to drink my calories.

Hi Aaron! This is an on going debate between my Siter and I. I do know that my cousin that drank diet coke, ate nothing but grained bread, and followed what she thought was the healthier way of living. She ended up in the hospital with seaver pain in her right side, she had gull stones. Her doctors all agreed that this was all caused by her diet. They told her to stop drinking the diet soda, the dark breads ect ect. My thoughts on this subject are… Drink soda in moderation, don't make it your main drink in other word. Water is the best thing for us, try adding some lemon in with it, actually it's pretty good, oh don't get me wrong, I Love my Coke Cola, but I know I have to drink other liquids to keep my body healthier. Hope this helped some!

sodas and especially colas are not a good thing for diabetics. The caramel coloring is an AGE which causes inflammation (the root cause of diabetes). It has also been recently associated with certain cancers. The artificial sweeteners promote dehydration, and are also AGE's. The canned and bottled sodas are made with distilled water, which strips the body of trace minerals-not good. Caffeine causes dehydration, and can raise blood sugars by as much as 26%.

I've been drinking caffeine free diet coke for 8 years and I'm type 2 diabetic and have a heart condition. With all the tests and blood work I've had done over that time period I've never had on of my drs. tell me I needed to stop drinking diet coke and they all know that I drink it. I havn't gained and weight and it hasn't caused me to loose any weight. I've given up a lot of food and drinks that I like, don't take away my coke.

I'm a big diet cola addict. Addict cause I drink 2 liters a day, or more. Keeping a pitcher of water in the fridge is out, cause it doesn't get cold fast enough and nobody else in the family will fill it. Water from the tap is out cause it isn't cold, and having a bottle half filled in the freezer is out cause it takes up to much room and the water from the tap melts it too fast. We have no ice machine.But. . . I've read too many articles of late on the subject and must say that there is merit in it all. Four years ago I quit for soda for three months and lost four inches around my waist but no weight. I've been sode free for a week. I shall post if I get the same results as before.

I'm still drinking the diet coke but maybe I should give it a try. I could stand to lose more than a couple of inches from the waist. I have been trying a few of the different types of flavored waters. I think I might give it a try.

i ended up in the hospital with an reaction to aspartame.combination of diet coke & equal in iced tea.the doc said it was an o d of aspartame and that it is dangerous. i went back to reg pepsi and have had no more problems.drink the tea plain or get flavored water like vitaminwater zero.the starfruit-citrus is really good.

The stuff I really like are the flavored fizzy waters…Zazz, every store has them. It accomplishes two objectives: 1. I don't drink as many diet sodas, and Zazz is much less costly. and 2. It keeps me hydrated which is a good thing if you're on a low carb diet, and this point I actually like them better..unless it's time for a "rum drink" after a sailing day, then you can't beat a coke reg or diet depending on the BG…:>)

I don't see anything wrong with a diet coke now , now and then. Been drinking it too long to quit now. Although I have been cutting back on the caffine some and drinking Diet Sprite..but its not the same

personally I drink the occasional coke zero. I never drank diet soda of any type until I got diagnosed with diabetes,then anytime I did I always got a really bad headache. So only if I go to a restaurant that does not have coke zero I drink a diet soda. I do also find when I had it in the house I had the sugar munchies cravings after drinking diet stuff. Now I drink Great value powdered juices and have not had any issues with them. But everybodys body is different. Although I never seen any spikes in my numbers drinking diet product.

Well, there are several good and bad sides to consider. You are already experienced with your diabetes control, so you know how it (doesn't) affect your numbers. The other thing is the other health risks associated with whichever sweetener you are consuming. You just have to look up the risks and decide if you are willing to take the risk. You may decide this sweetener is probably okay in moderation, and this other one isn't good at all. Another thing to consider is age, because some of the risks take years to develop. At a young age, you don't want to accelerate your risks of developing another condition or disease to deal with. I'm lucky I like coffee and tea without adding anything, and no one has completely taken away my caffeine. Yet. How much soda are you drinking?

One of the great benefits I got when I quit the diet soda/artificial sweetners is a huge decease in neuropathy pain, the relief of most of the pain in my feet is a true blessing. To use artificial sweetners is not worth the pain it causes and I've noticed that I am not hunger all the time. Once you wean yourself of the sweet taste you'll find you don't even miss it.

Hi Linda. Sorry to get off track from original subject but I would like some help. Type 2 diabetic, fatty liver, history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I went on a paleo/keno type diet since August 1. I cheated s little but totally quit regular sugar as far as soda, candy, cakes, pies etc. I have lost about 18#. I have about 15-20 more to lose. I am addicted to Diet Pepsi and Coke Zero. The nerves in my feet are so bad recently that I almost cry. Can't sleep. I work full time so at night I am exhausted. I also have had insomnia for years and take a OTC PM to help me sleep. So after cutting out majority of carbs my BS numbers are high I'm the morning after fasting and something is spiking things. I am concerned about the aspertame? Any thoughts. This pain is so bad. Thank you

My dietitian told me that regular sugar in moderation is better than sugar substitutes. Not only does she find (and I find myself) that when I use substitutes (any kind) they raise my blood sugar MORE than regular sugar does, but it also, over long term use can cause memory loss and long term effects on the brain as well as cancer. Most everything anymore causes cancer but still. I even have a hard time using the glucernia shakes and stuff like that because of how bad it causes my blood sugar to spike. I guess it all depends on the person-what works for me and others may not work for the next person. Its something I guess you'd have to discuss with your doctor.

This is a little off from the original discussion, but I am interested in the use of glucernia. When you say your bs spiked was that up or down. I do realize that spiking either way is not good, but I am looking for more control. I was fine while I was in denial and not testing and now I am running high in the AM. I was wondering if glucernia helps with control?

Your bs spikes are more likely because of the carbs in the foods/drinks and NOT because of the artificial sweeteners. I've used them for 40 years because it's the only choice I had, and have never had problems with it. I think a great deal of the increase in cancer is the simple fact that the research and detection is so much better. People used to die of things and they buried them without bothering with an autopsy. There were probably as many cancer deaths as there are now, they just didn't know it. Also, remember that when they test these products, the amounts used aren't humanly possible (tests are done on mice). You'd have to drink something like five gallons of soda for similar effects. NO ONE drinks that much! Some people may be more sensitive, but there is usually a good scientific explaination. I have noticed that many sugar free products do have more carbs.

Sugar is still sugar, even if you use something besides dextrose, or regular table sugar. Truthfully, many of these artificial sweeteners taste that way because they are chemically very similar to other forms of real sugar. Amazing stuff is chemistry. loose chains of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules.. those elements can bind into so many different forms and you would need a microscope and lots of patience to tell the difference.. they also form new bonds so easily. That is why you can eat something with the "fake" sugar, and just move a few molecule chains around, and by golly, you have the real thing!Related case in point.. if anyone watched the BP oil disaster, then you know that hydro-carbons can be a bad thing, and about any form of it can become any other form of it.. carbohydrates are chemically nothing more than hydrocarbons with oxygen molecules added. So.. everything in moderation.. and remember, God gave you a great immunity system for a good reason… just try not to overload it.

It is hard to cut back when there is so many things that a diabetic can't have. It is the one thing in life that we can have and not worry if your sugar will go up; I have cut back on the caffine because I have CHF and I also drink only 2 12oz can of sodas a day, but I can't stop drinking them all together.

I work outside, so in hot weather I'll drink 2+ gallons of water a day. A soda or two along is a nice break between all that water. Through the rest of the yearI'll drink at least a half gallon of water a day.

I refuse to give up my diet soda… I have given up so much in life that I don't think a few diet Dr. Peppers will do too much damage. I admire all of you that are so diligent in your diets an have such awesome willpower…I know me, tho and I am really doing all I can.

I found that diet soda just leaves me thirsty after i drink it so i drink alot of water and unsweetened iced tea. When i crave something sweet to drink i use a crysal light pour in in my water or add a little splenda to my tea, i think the carbonation is what makes me more thirsty.

As more time passes for me since I was diagnosed …now one year later, I have so revamped my food intake and the smallest amount of something sweet or even processed foods just simply do not taste good. So this is a good thing for me. I just don't keep those things around any more.

I was raised on Diet Soda. It seems every other day we're told something else causes cancer or diabetes or etc.

Diet Soda does nothing to my sugar levels. Coke Zero or Cherry Coke Zero don't make me crave sweets that much more. Actual sugar does that to me..so if I say away from that stuff I do alright. Just watch the sodium in your soda…most diabetics also battle hypertension/high blood pressure and if you drink a lot of caffeine or high sodium soda, tonic water etc. you can raise your BP that way.

Agree. Ice water is great for you, especially drink 1/2 your body weight each day. I LOVE diet coke like someone would like a beer after work. After work, before I leave school I refill my ice water cup for the drive home and eat an apple. My body is refueled with natural food. The decision was easy, keep doing what I want or do what my body needs. I don't want future problems and Type II was enough to inspire me!

I used to be a big fan of the diet Dr Pepper and usually had 2 a day. But since my diagnosis, I just gave them up, along with lots of other things, since I felt I just did not need it in my body, and now I am hooked on ice cold water. Usually drink about 4-5 bottles of water a day. I feel better when I have a lot of water.

I talked to my Endocrinologist and he told me a little of regular table sugar is O.K.

Not to go overboard.

I've heard also, that drinking diet drinks with artifical sweetners will cause weight gain. That they actually make you more thirsty to continue drinking more diet drinks and that there is something in them that causes a hunger to eat something.

Next time you have a diet coke, more than likely you will eat something within the next hour.

And be aware if the Aspertaine that the put in Diet Soda to replace the sugar. Not good for the human body. The experts say it forms a methane in the blood stream and goes to the brain not good! I have stopped using anything with Aspertaine in it Quite a diff in attitude.

My bride, Jem was like that too. (but she went overboard IMO) She used regular coke or RC cola to settle her stomach. We had her on 3 different insulins, medum acting, short acting, and very short acting. The only sweetener that didn't upset her stomach, was something called Whey Low. It was a combination of Lactose and fructose sugars. Together they didn't raise BGs as high as fast.

Just before she passed we bought about 20# of WheyLow.

If you are interested you can search Discussions here for Whey Low, or use a search engine on the internet.

Well as a t2 and a kidney patient I'm doubly (expletive deleted). I have so many dietary restrictions it's quite frustrating. I pretty much drink water only. (Occasionally an unsweetened ice tea - have yet to acquire a taste for it).

I stay away from sweeteners altogether because of the sweetener effect raises my weight. I have lost about 20# since I stopped using sweeteners.

You do what you want, but I want to save as much pf my kidney function as I can so I don't have to go back on dialysis.

I have heard there is now a link between diet soda and heart disease not to mention the possibility of kidney disease from the caffiene.. So I saw that Blue agave nectar is allegedly an alternative sweetner with little affect on the blood sugar anyone else heard of it? Right now since I am temporarily back to just shots I am doing splenda in coffee and in limited amounts I drank way too much caffiene the other day and I got super depressed…

It is my understanding that the artificial sweetners are super sweet, tricking your body into just wanting more, hence why so many replies about 'cant give it up' when it comes to pop or other artificially sweetened items. Sad. Another item for people to have dependency problems with. One major sweetner, however, noted for not having this issue is Stevia, if you must crave the sweetness. I don't see it, however used in sodas. Maybe just wean yourself from soda like cigarettes.

There are varied reports on Stevia. A few interesting facts: It was traditionally used in Brazil as a form of birth control. Also: until this past year, it was banned from diet in most of Europe (though used for things like beauty masks in Switzerland). Here's an interesting article that speaks to health of Stevia. I find the article well balanced: http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticl...